By IRVING WASHINGTON & HAGERE YILMA
of Kaiser Family Foundation

As bird flu spreads among animals and raises concerns about the potential for future human transmission, the Department of Health and Human Services, in the last days of the Biden Administration, announced that it invested another $590 million to expedite the development of Moderna’s mRNA-based vaccines for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. However, misinformation and skepticism surrounding bird flu vaccines persist online, often misrepresenting data and undermining trust.

KFF monitoring of online conversations about bird flu reveals narratives that have focused on Audenz, a bird flu vaccine that was approved by the FDA in 2020. Concerns that Audenz caused one in 200 clinical trial participants to die circulated widely on social media, pointing to a 2021 clinical trial that found some deaths (<1%) among adult participants but determined no link to the vaccine. The study’s researchers concluded, “No adult deaths were vaccine-related, and the frequency of these events was in line with U.S. mortality statistics for the age groups in question.”

The misrepresentation of clinical data has stoked fear about vaccine safety before, as similar misrepresentations of deaths during COVID-19 clinical trials raised concern about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines and others in previous years.

Resilient resistance

In addition to misrepresenting data, online narratives often raise concerns about vaccine ingredients, reiterate resistance to bird flu vaccines, and oppose future public health measures. Some users also share anecdotes about alleged vaccine injuries from COVID-19 vaccines to argue that bird flu vaccines would cause similar harm. One online post, which received thousands of likes and reposts, said “We are not masking up. We are not PCR testing. We are not socially distancing. We are not getting mRNA vaccines. We are not locking down.” Many comments echoed this sentiment, questioned the need for public health measures, or expressed solidarity with those resisting public health guidance.

Nature Rambles: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza spreading in animals

Misinformation and skepticism surrounding the bird flu vaccines echo those related to the COVID-19 vaccines. KFF’s latest Health Information and Trust poll shows that these myths have persisted, particularly among Republicans. While about one in four adults say the false claim that “more people have died from COVID-19 vaccines than have died from the COVID-19 virus,” is “definitely true” (8%) or “probably true” (18%), four in 10 Republicans say it is “definitely” (13%) or “probably true” (27%), an increase from one in four Republicans who said this was at least probably true in June 2023.

Paranoia

As the U.S. invests in vaccine development, along with other preventative measures, some have shared concerns beyond vaccine skepticism, suggesting that bird flu might be used as a pretext for lockdowns and food supply restrictions. KFF media monitoring research shows that these narratives are resonating with tens of thousands of people online. For example, a radio host garnered 80,000 likes and 29,000 reposts in 10 days when they shared a video on X making these claims with a caption describing bird flu as “A Plot To Shutdown Society” and an “Evil Psyop.” Many of the 2,800 comments on the post conveyed similar concerns. Skepticism is also expressed about health communicators aligned with federal health agencies. In early January, a video of Dr. Leana Wen discussing the bird flu response was captioned with an accusation that she trying to restart the “COVID-19 scam.” The post quickly attracted thousands of interactions, including comments accusing Wen,

Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Bill Gates of criminal activity.

Be careful

Contrary to these persistent claims, the CDC explains that the risk of bird flu to the general public remains low. However, the most common strain of bird flu can spread through contact with an infected animal’s saliva, mucus, feces, respiratory secretions, and other body fluids, so certain groups that work with livestock (e.g., farmers, backyard bird flock owners, veterinarians, and animal health responders) face increased risk due to their frequent exposure to potentially infected animals or animal byproducts. To prevent infection, the CDC recommends avoiding direct contact with infected animals, practicing good hygiene, and using personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary. Despite the agency closely monitoring the situation, eroding trust in health institutions may undermine confidence in these prevention strategies and guidance.

The latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds that 44% of U.S. adults are “very” or “somewhat concerned” that there will be a widespread outbreak of bird flu in the U.S., while fewer (34%) say they are concerned that they or someone in their family will get sick.

— Irving Washington and Hagere Yilma direct the Health Information and Trust Initiative
for the Kaiser Family Foundation.